Personal Injury Law

Hepatitis A-List - Socialista

Posted on February 24, 2008
OK, for some reason I was not invited to the party. However, AP reported that hundreds of patrons (Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ivanka Trump and Madonna) of a posh Manhattan hot spot, including A-list celebrities who attended actor Ashton Kutcher's 30th birthday party there, may have been exposed to Hepatitis A, health officials said...

Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co to Shut Down ?In Wake of Massive Recall

Posted on February 23, 2008
The Wall Street Journal reported this morning on something that probably does not come as a surprise to those who watched the video and have seen the largest recall in US History -  Hallmark/Westland will be closing its doors. 250 workers have been laid off...

Workers arrested in Chino slaughterhouse case

Posted on February 22, 2008
Still going after the small fish? The Associated Press reported this evening that a second fired worker has been arrested in a case involving alleged abuses at a Chino slaughterhouse that led to the nation's largest beef recall. Luis Sanchez surrendered to Chino police Wednesday and pleaded not guilty Thursday to three misdemeanors involving the illegal movement of sick or injured cattle...

Hallmark and Westland Saga Continues to Expand

Posted on February 22, 2008
I spoke with Julie Schmit of USA TODAY during a layover in Dallas on my way home about her story this morning “Feds still tracing millions of pounds of recalled meat.” She reported that: “Federal officials said Thursday that more than a third of the meat recalled Sunday in the largest meat recall ever went to federal nutrition programs, and that 15...

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E. coli Tainted lettuce linked to Taco John's grown on Buttonwillow farm

Posted on February 22, 2008
A report by food safety investigators have linked a Kern County farm with an E. coli outbreak in 2006 that sickened dozens of people in the Midwest.  Officials from the California Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration reported that tainted lettuce served at Taco John's restaurants in Iowa and Minnesota came from Wegis Ranch in Buttonwillow...

Westland and Hallmark Recalled Beef Went to Schools

Posted on February 21, 2008
As a human (yes, lawyers are), I was appalled by the treatment of the “downer” cows caught on film. The outpouring of emotional comments on my blog over the last week should make government and the beef industry to take a hard look at what they are doing to ensure both a safe and humane beef supply...

Castleberry's Botulism Lawsuit Filed - Illnesses reported in Indiana, Texas and Ohio

Posted on February 21, 2008
Although I am down in the “Big Easy” at the GMA’s 2008 Food Claims and Litigation Conference, I still had the time to edit and file what appears to be the second lawsuit against Castleberry’s for producing Botulism contaminated food...

The Plot Thickens - More Westland and Hallmark Meat to be Recalled?

Posted on February 21, 2008
In a conference call with industry this morning, FSIS announced that it has changed its position in regard to further processed products that contain any amount of recalled Westland beef.  Whereas the Agency had stated on Tuesday that manufacturers of products in which Westland beef was commingled with other beef would not have to notify their consignees to return or destroy product, the Agency has now reconsidered and reversed that position...

Mr. Bill Goes to Washington - Again

Posted on February 20, 2008
NEWS RELEASECommittee on Energy and CommerceRep. John D. Dingell, Chairman For immediate release: February 19, 2008Contact: Jodi Seth or Alex Haurek, 202-225-5735 MEDIA ADVISORY:Oversight and Investigations SubcommitteeHearing on Food Safety Washington, DC – On the heels of the latest major meat recall, the Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations announced today that it will hold a hearing next week on food safety with the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of major food producing companies testifying...

Do Your Homework

Posted on February 20, 2008
Had a nice chat with Jessica Fargen of the Boston Herald as I was traveling to New Orleans – Here is the interview entitled “Do Your Homework” Here are some common sense tips to keep in mind the next time you go food shopping. They come courtesy of Wendy Heiger-Bernays, chairwoman of the Lexington Board of Health and professor at the Boston University School of Public Health...

Obama - Where is the Beef?

Posted on February 19, 2008
OK, I could not help myself. Hell, no one knows where the 143 million pounds of recalled meat really is. As I posted below, I am an Obama and Clinton supporter – “Obanton?” I did get an email from one of my chief defense lawyer opponents (also an Obama supporter) noting that Obama has made a statement on the recent recall...

Clinton Unveils Food Safety Plan - Have I Missed Obama's?

Posted on February 19, 2008
Like most Democrats who could be happy (I donated to both) with either Obama (my wife is a delegate) or Clinton, I must admit after reading this Clinton Press Release last night, I would like to hear from the Obama camp. Hillary Clinton Unveils Food Safety Plan By: Hillary Clinton for President Following the largest beef recall in our nation's history, Hillary Clinton highlighted a series of food safety proposals she would pursue as President...

Lawsuit filed against maker of botulism-tainted chili

Posted on February 19, 2008
A lawsuit was filed today against Castleberry’s Food Co., the company that recalled tens of millions of pounds of canned meat products sold under over 80 different labels after they were identified as the source of a botulism outbreak in July, 2007...

William D. Marler, Food Safety Attorney

Posted on February 17, 2008
William D. Marler, Food Safety Attorney, Calls for CDC Long-term Study of Nation’s School Children and Congressional Hearings on Safety of United States Beef Supply.  The largest recall of beef in U.S. history – over 143 million pounds - and the solid evidence that USDA has failed to enforce its own ban against downer cattle being used in the nation’s school lunch program, demand immediate action by Congress says food safety attorney William D...

Hallmark and Westland Meat Packing Company of Chino, California establishment is recalling approximately 143,383,823 pounds of raw and frozen beef products

Posted on February 17, 2008
The Largest Recall in United States History occurred today. Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company of Chino, California establishment is recalling approximately 143,383,823 pounds of raw and frozen beef products that FSIS has determined to be unfit for human food because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection...

E. Coli O157:H7 in Beef Will Be Investigated by California Senate Committee and Senator Dean Florez

Posted on February 17, 2008
Due to the 2007 recall of over 30,000,000 pounds of hamburger – with hundreds sickened – and the recent recall of meat from the downer cow problem, the Senate Select Committee on Food-borne Illness will meet Monday, February 25, at 10:00 a...

Listeria Victims and Their Families are the Real Heroes in the Whittier Farms Investigation

Posted on February 17, 2008
Linda Bock TELEGRAM & GAZETTE has been following this tragedy since the beginning, and her recent story – “CSI: Listeria - State health lab used DNA ‘fingerprints’ to find listeria source” – continues our fascination with the crime scene investigation of “the recent Listeria outbreak linked to three deaths and one miscarriage...

Hallmark and Westland Meat Packing Company of Chino, California is recalling 143,383,823 pounds of raw and frozen beef products

Posted on February 17, 2008
The problems at Westland and Hallmark began with abusing cattle, moved into a ban of its product from the market, then on to criminal violations.  We now need to get this front and center before a congressional Investigation. The Largest Recall in United States History occurred Sunday...

CDC Long-term Study of Nation's School Children and Congressional Hearings on Safety of United States Beef Supply Needed

Posted on February 17, 2008
The largest recall of beef in U.S. history – over 143 million pounds - and the solid evidence that USDA has failed to enforce its own ban against downer cattle being used in the nation’s school lunch program, demand immediate action by Congress says food safety attorney William D...

It Is Easier To Catch The Small Fry

Posted on February 16, 2008
Meet Michael A. Ramos, San Bernardino County District Attorney. He has just filed criminal charges in the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company's mistreatment of downer cows. We are not, at least at this point, going to see Westland/Hallmark President Steve Mendell being taken away in handcuffs...

Castleberry Might Be Sold Due To Botulism Recall

Posted on February 16, 2008
Tim Rausch wrote this morning that Castleberry's Food Company might be sold – “Brand might be sold” The Canadian investment fund that owns Castleberry's Food Co. said it is considering selling the canned meat company, whose 400-employee Augusta plant was linked to a botulism scare last year...

Hawaii Salmonella Ahi Toll Now 34 - Additional Illness in California and Colorado

Posted on February 16, 2008
The Honolulu Advertiser reported this morning that the Hawaii State Department of Health says a new case of salmonella poisoning has been confirmed on Oahu, bringing to 34 the number of such infections since October. The latest case involves someone who reported eating ahi poke bought at a local market, the department said in a news release yesterday...

Seattle Spring Food Safety Seminar - April 11-12, 2008

Posted on February 15, 2008
I must admit this Seminar is coming together nicely.  Registrations are pouring in.   Click below and download the Brochure and Registration Form.

Trader Joe's = Ethnocentric

Posted on February 14, 2008
I was reading a story tonight about how a “US store chain cuts sales of food from China” and was a bit shocked that Trader Joe’s really intends to eliminate "all single ingredient food items (whatever that means) sourced from Mainland China are scheduled to be out of our stores by April 1...

Veggie Booty Salmonella Final Report - New York Department of Health

Posted on February 12, 2008
Instead of looking out my window today, I spent much of it reviewing the Final Veggie Booty Salmonella Report by the New York Department of Health and all the attached documents.  One thing caught my attention – the number of Salmonella strains found in this outbreak...

J & B Meats - Listeria Bratwurst Anyone?

Posted on February 10, 2008
Would you eat this, Listeria or not?  Minnesota State officials say consumers should avoid consuming smoked pork and beef bratwurst made by J&B Meats, of Barnesville, because it may be contaminated with Listeria bacteria.  The Minnesota Department of Agriculture says there are no reports of illnesses from the product...

USDA Extends Meat Ban at Westland Meat

Posted on February 10, 2008
USDA officials extended a ban on use of meat from a Chino slaughterhouse shut down last week for mistreating cattle. It also said the Westland plant had been cited in 2005 for using electric prods on animals. This was the same year that Westland Meat Company was awarded “The Supplier of the Year for 2004-2005 for the National School Lunch Program...

Erie County New York Vaccination Clinics for Hepatitis A Victims of Wegmans

Posted on February 09, 2008
Newsday reports that the Erie County Health Department scheduled free vaccination clinics Saturday and Sunday after a produce handler at a suburban Buffalo grocery store was diagnosed with Hepatitis A. The clinics are for those who bought unsealed produce at Wegmans on Sheridan Drive in Williamsville since January 7 and who have eaten it raw within the past two weeks, according to health officials...

Botulism Seems to be a Weekly Occurence

Posted on February 09, 2008
Health officials again announced that last month's recall of canned beans in 6 to 7 pound institutional-sized cans over botulism concerns has been expanded to include a variety of other vegetables in similar-sized cans.  The expanded recall includes asparagus, peas and other vegetables canned by the Michigan-based New Era Canning Company...

A Silver Bullet for E. coli?

Posted on February 09, 2008
According to Bioniche and press reports, the USDA has agreed to grant a conditional license to Bioniche for its E. coli O157:H7 Cattle Vaccine. Is this the “silver bullet” to solve the recent uptick in E. coli recalls and human illnesses? I have had the opportunity to meet with Bioniche scientists and executives over the years and am pleased to see a potential weapon against these deadly bacteria...

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